Store-service apparatus



(No Model.)

J. H. GOODPELLOW. STORE SERVICE APPARATUS.

No. 479,505. Patented July 26, 1892.

11-1: NORRIS verzns an. m

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

JOHN H. @OODFELLOW, OF LANSINGBURG, NEIV YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE LAMSON CONSOLIDATED STORE SERVICE COM- PANY, OF NEW JERSEY.

STORE-SERVICE APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters latent No. 479,505, dated July 26, 1892.

Application filed July 22, 1890. Serial No. 359.536. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN H. GooDnELLow, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lansingburg, in the county of Rensselaer and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and usefullmprovements in Store-Service Apparatus and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The object I have in this invention is to provide exceedingly simple, compact, convenient, rapidly-operating apparatus, as well as practicable, durable, and inexpensive apparatus for transferring cash or paroels from one part of a store to another.

My invention therefore consists ina springcord arranged at an angle to the track and adapted to be distended by the impact of a carrier thereon, stopping the carrier, and to 2 5 regain its normal condition and to return the said carrier when the latter is released; in an elastic cord adapted to be distended parallel to the said track, from which it is suspended by a traveling guide and having means for engaging a carrier, which is mounted on the said track, and in means whereby the receptacle connected to the carrier-frame may be raised and secured in that position through the medium of a spring-pressed plate; and it also consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts of which it is composed, as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,

in which corresponding parts are designated by similar letters, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a store-service apparatus constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the carrier, the receptacle being shown in two positions in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a perspective detached view of the removable tray. .Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a part of the propelling device. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detailed longitudinal section of the device for joining the motor and operating devices. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the clip and parts of the way and motor contiguous thereto.

The way B is supported in substantially a horizontal position, or it may be inclined, as 5 5 in Fig. 1, the way, by preference, consisting of a wire stretched between two pendent hangers A. The ends of the way may be either secured directly to the hanger or to an adjustable bracket D, mounted thereon.

Upon the way moves a carrier Q, provided with grooved wheels n, and with a frame E, suspended therefrom and supporting a receptacle L. The carrier-frame, as shown in Fig. 1, is provided with a stop a, consisting of an arm projecting out and downward at its end. On both sides of the center are two raised oval projections, and directly behind them are two arms projecting upward for the purpose of engaging the propeller-stop and follower. The other side of the car is provided with a catch a, which extends up over the track, so as to clear well the clip secured thereto and engage the latch 12 at the upper end of the way. Between the frame E is pivoted a grooved wheel a, adapted to engage with the elastic cord 5, fastened to the track by clip 11 or other suitable means of connection. The other end of this cord is connected to the bracket S, so that it will admit of the So catch a engaging with the latch '0 which may be pivotally connected by pivot 0 and its arm Q2, connected with a suitable operating cord or wire V. To the other end of the way is clamped thereon the clip '9, adapted to secure therein one or more elastic cords or bands, (see Fig. 6,) which may consist of any expansible material and extends through the body of the car, as shown, (when the car is at the station,) directly beneath the track, and preferably in line thereof. To these cords or bands, whichconstitute the propeller, I securely fasten an engaging-stop R, (see Fig. 4,) which may be provided on each side with a projecting lug r to make contact with the inclines of a U-shaped staple p or loop, which I pass over the track. This will admit of a sufficient upward movement of the stop and support the st0p in position to engage the catch on the carrier. To the end of this mo- 10o tor or propeller, a short distance from the stop, I connect it to the operating-cord J by the thimble or ferrule P, on which it is secured by inserting the end of the motor H through the small end and out through the large end. This elastic cord is doubled up on itself and drawn back, as in Fig. 5. The end of the operating-cord is then inserted and screwed in against the rubber until it is forced quite solid. The operating-cord is then passed over the sheave-pulley C, and the adjustable stop I) or handle m, connected as thus constructed and arranged, is ready for use.

The bracket D, containing the sheave-pulley, may be secured to the pendant by any suitable clamp or set-screw device common to the art, or it may be provided with means for clamping it to the way, but, as shown, has an extended portion, to which the way may be secured, while at the same time freely fit the inner side walls of the car-frame, thus steadying the car while being manipulated.

The appliances described and shown at the lower end of the way may be duplicated and used to manipulate a horizontal way system, in which case the carrier may be provided with latch appliances substantially alike at both ends.

Fig. 2 represents the receptacle connected to-a car-body, in which T represents two arms, one on each side of the car, and may be rigidly connected to the frame. To the bottom end of these arms is connected another set of arms L pivoted byjoints Z, and the free end of said arms pivoted at Z to the cash-receptacle L. 0' o are arms or downwardly-projecting handles connected to the side of the receptacle. W is a loose-fitting plate of sufiicient size to cover the receptacle, and w is a yielding packing. The cover is movably secured to the carrier-frame by rivets or pins y, having enlarged heads. The bodies of the rivets move freely through the car-frame. The office of the plate W and packing is to provide frictional contact suificient to 1naintain the receptacle in elevation when the arms are moved vertically in line with each other, which they do in the following manner: The packing a: presses the plate W downward a sufficient distance to cause the plate to project below the level of the receptacle when the latter is raised, so that when the said receptacle is elevated the plate W will be correspond;

ingly elevated and will bear on the upper surface of the receptacle. As the raising or lowering motion of the receptacle is in the circumference of a circle whose center is at Z,

it will be seen that the receptacle in being depressed must make its initial movement in an arc thereof, the components of the said initial movement being a large horizontal to a small vertical one. The former of these, or thehorizontal movement, will meet with a frictional resistance from the under surface of the plate W sufficient to overcome the'tendency of the receptacle to fall, which will thus be retained in position until a downward pull be executed by the attendant. T is a metal tray provided with handles 6, adapted to loosely fit into the receptacle, whereby when the receptacle is swung down to the position shown in dotted lines it can be readily removed with contents.

The operation of the several parts will be readily understood, and therefore I will describe its operation as briefly as possible, as follows: Assuming that the receptacle shown in Fig. 2 is upon the way (as that is the preferable form) and a purchase result is to be sent to the cashier, a pull backward on the handle 0 of the carrier permits the cup to swing toward you and down, as shown in dotted lines, remove tray, insert checks, cash, &c., swing upward, and push receptacle under plate W. Now pull down on handle m or operating-cord J. This will expand the propeller and draw the car toward you until thimble P contacts sheave. Then release and let go of handle. The carrier bounds forward, and when stop Z contacts with the sheave-pulley c the stop j nmps from its seat at a. At the other end of the track a the grooved roller u engageswith the elastic cord .9, gathers it up, as shown in dotted lines, thereby storing up pressure for the release of thecarri er, and the latch o engages thecarrier-catch 0) the latch 12 by pulling the cord 1). The motor or propeller s, having been tensioned by the action of the entering car, distendi'ng it out of its normal position, acts tostart the car down the way, when the follower-stop R again engages the stop aand holds the carrier. The motor material extending beyond the stop to the thimble provides means which prevents rebound.

It will be evident that a suitable device for locking the propeller while under tension may be employed, if desired. Such a device is shown and described in an application filed by me on September 7, 1889, and serially numbered 323,258, in which said device is shown located on the bracket in the rear of the sheave-pulley and is adapted to lock the opcrating-cord.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a store-service apparatus, the combination, with a track and a carrier adapted to travel thereon, of a propelling means consisting of an elastic cord or band having one end clipped to the track, means secured to the motor to check, engage, and hold the carrier, a traveling guide secured to said motor, and means for tensionin g the motor to create power to impel the carrier over the track, substantially as specified.

2. In a store-serviceapparatus, the combination, with a track and a carrier provided with awheel,of an elastic cord connected to the track at one end and to a support at the other to form a stop at an angle to the track and in After the manipulation of the cash-cup has been repeated the car is released fromline therewith, said wheel adapted to engage said elastic cord and distend the same out of its normal position, and a suitable catch for holding the carrier against the tension of the cord, whereby when released the cord will set the carrier in motion and resume its normal position, substantially as described.

3. In a carrier for store-service apparatus, the combination, with a carrier-frame having bearing-wheels journaled therein, of a receptacle hung from the said frame by pivoted arms, the arms being folded back upon themselves upon raising the said receptacle, and a downwardly-pressed plate yieldingly secured to the under surface of the frame and adapted to be raised by the receptacle when in a raised position and to hold the said receptacle in that position by its resistance to the initial horizontal component of the circular motion of the receptacle, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN H. GOODFELLOWV. Witnesses:

WM. D. EASTERDAY, W. A. EASTERDAY. 

